Saudi Arabia Funds $7B Dragon Ball Park in France

The update

Saudi Arabia is funding a $7 billion Dragon Ball Z theme park in France, with French President Emmanuel Macron celebrating the deal. The project will be located in Cergy-Pontoise, northwest of Paris, and is expected to create approximately 22,000 jobs. The announcement came during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Paris, following the discovery of both leaders’ shared enthusiasm for the anime franchise during Macron’s 2025 visit to Saudi Arabia.

Why it matters

This represents Saudi Arabia’s latest move to leverage its sovereign wealth fund for cultural influence, following investments in golf, Electronic Arts, and other entertainment ventures. The project exemplifies what critics call ‘anime-washing’ – using popular culture to distract from human rights concerns and autocratic practices. For France, it’s positioned as a major economic opportunity that will establish the country as a ‘new global destination’ for entertainment.

What to watch

Construction timeline and actual opening date remain unclear. The park will be one of three in the area and joins another Dragon Ball Z park already in development in Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya City. Observers will monitor how this fits into Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy of using entertainment investments to improve its global image and whether other Western countries pursue similar partnerships.

Sources

• kotaku.com — Macron's enthusiasm and Saudi's cultural investment strategy
• ign.com — Park location, job creation, and connection to Qiddiya project